Bros on the Road
by Ariels Lament
Summary: Does what it says on the tin. One shot/drabble collection of the guys just doing what they do.
1. Target Practice

_**A/N: Because once upon a time, back before I'd even finished the game, I thought to myself, "I want to novelize this!" So I took some notes as I played through the rest of the game. I am not, however, capable of writing a novelization, and most of the stuff I had is too short to justify the number of titles I'd have to come up with or the amount of spamming they'd cause. So this is where I'll collect my bro-centric drabbles and slightly more than drabbles! Because have I mentioned that I love them all? :D**_

 _ **It wasn't what I had meant to write yesterday. But it hit me that I could finally use a music title after all, so I wrote out most of the dialogue for several scenes. This is the one that happened first. Plus, the first few lines of dialogue have been stuck in my head for like two months, now. I was happy I managed to kind of turn it into almost something! :)**_

 ** _Thanks for reading!_**

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Prompto stares, because he really doesn't think Noct has thought this one through. He's just standing there, arms crossed and brow quirked looking for all the world as though _Prompto_ is the one being unreasonable, here. Which for once he really isn't. He opens his mouth and lets it hang that way for a moment before it falls back closed. Noct just rolls his eyes at the display. So he tries again.

"You want me to shoot you." It's a question, but at the same time it isn't.

"At me," Noct corrects, and he almost looks pleased. Like he thinks they're finally getting somewhere.

"With a gun," Prompto tries again, enunciating slowly, because he still isn't sure Noct understands what it is he's saying. But the prince just bobs his head as though asking a friend to attempt to murder him is an everyday kind of deal. Which...is probably actually the case now that he thinks about it.

He shuffles his feet and sneaks a sidelong glance to where Ignis and Gladio are seated in their camping chairs, both looking thoroughly amused. And yeah, the blond knows that Noct has been training to be a badass warrior prince since he was a kid while he himself only has about twelve hours of self defense training and less than a handful of skirmishes with a few wild beasts under his belt, but it's not something he's ever actually seen before the last couple of days, and he's still trying to get a handle on this whole fighting and sparring thing. And, you know. The fact that his best friend is, indeed, kind of a badass warrior prince.

"Yup," Noct says. He sounds _really_ sure of himself, too, so now Prompto thinks that maybe _he's_ the one misunderstanding the whole scenario. He frowns.

"Okay. So...okay." He rests a hand on his hip and lets the other clench and unclench at his side. "So, just to be clear, here—" and he can see the repressed groan in the way Noct's shoulders slump and his features turn skyward "—you want _me_ to send a bullet hurling _hundreds of miles an hour_ in _your_ direction."

"Pretty much."

 _"Hundreds of miles an hour, Noct!"_ He flails his arms just to make sure he draws the proper amount of attention to the words. It's kind of an important piece of info. Especially when it's _hundreds of miles an hour_ from the distance of maybe thirty feet.

"Yeah, I know how it works," Noct says, his previous patient tone replaced with irritation.

"So you also realize that I have absolutely _no_ control over it after it fires, right?" Prompto knows that Noct isn't stupid, but he has to make sure he's thought of it from every angle. Because he's seen it happen over the last couple of nights and mornings.

It hadn't happened often, but every now and then Prompto had _seen_ it. That very last moment where Gladio or Ignis had realized that Noct wouldn't be able to block or dodge in time, the subtle shift of their stances that either brought the weapons within range of Noct's parry or away from him completely. Prompto won't be able to do that. And he really wouldn't be able to handle being the cause of his best friend's demise. He just wants to see Noct get married and for him to be happy and hopefully still have a place in his life for his old high school pal when it's all said and done. That's all. He doesn't think he's asking for too much.

"I'm aware."

Noct's voice pulls him out of his rambling thoughts, but the words are far from enough to console him.

"And by absolutely _no_ control, I mean that—"

"Oh, for gods' sakes, Prompto, I get it! Just shoot the damn gun!" And with that, Noct stalks up to him, summons said weapon in a gleaming shower of magic sparkles that still manages to distract Prompto every single time, and presses it into the blond's chest. "Leave the dodging to me," the brunet says. Then he marches off to the other side of the haven, leaving Prompto to fumble his hands around the gun before it falls to the ground.

"B-But! What if I actually hit you!?"

Noct stops, and Prompto thinks, _finally! Finally_ , his friend is listening and seeing reason and realizing that this is a _very bad idea._ But when the prince turns to look at him, he's got a smirk on his face and a taunt on his lips. "As if you could."

That actually causes Prompto to straighten a little bit, because his initials are in the first slot of every shoot 'em up the arcade back home has to offer. And no one's even come close to touching him! He presses his lips together, though, because he knows if he says that all out loud, Noct'll just challenge him again, and Prompto will suddenly become a willing participant. And he _cannot become a willing participant._

Eventually, though, Noct's smirk fades away. "It'll be fine, Prompto. You're not gonna hit me. Besides, it'll be good practice for the both of us."

Prompto stares mournfully down at the hunk of metal in his hands. Noct doesn't understand. The last five years have been the happiest of his life, and there's a very large, anxious part of him just waiting for it all to fall apart. This right here seems like an appropriately terrible way for it to decide to fall apart.

"Aw, man," he whines, carding one hand through his hair and tapping the pistol against his thigh with the other. "Are you really asking me to do this? What am I supposed to do when 'killed the crown prince of Lucis' pops up on my background check, huh?"

"Consider yourself pardoned if you do. Now stop being a baby about it and shoot."

Prompto huffs. Irritated, he looks over to the pair of travel mates who also seem painfully unconcerned with his dilemma. "You two heard it, right? If I accidentally kill him, I don't get locked up for life."

Gladio smirks and says, "That's a pretty big 'if',if I ever heard one."

"Don't worry," Ignis assures him, and though his smile is somewhat more genuine than Gladio's, his voice still holds that same teasing note. "I shall relay his Highness' final wish to the king myself shall he fall at your hands."

"Gee, thanks," Prompto deadpans, and his eyes seek out Noct's from across the haven.

"Whenever you're ready," Noct says, his sword drawn. "Surprise me."

Prompto's still bouncing the barrel of his gun against his thigh and debating the wisdom of this idea when he gives up and sighs. Surely, if none of the three of them are even the slightest bit worried then there's no reason for him to be, right?

"Right..." It's just as much an answer to himself as it is an affirmation for Noct.

So Prompto shuffles his feet a bit more and tries to gear himself up for his first ever round of target practice with Noct.

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 _ **A/N: Dear god, Prompto thinks in too many italics. I should probably take up writing on a normal computer again...-_-**_

 ** _I actually wrote more, but since I'm not making it a full story, I didn't like any of the notes I'd have ended on. So I cut it back to here._**

 ** _Also...BotR? *snorts* Totally cracks me up, yo. I love it..._**


	2. Artist's Eye

_**A/N: Yeah...this is more the length I was expecting if I finally got around to writing these guys out. It's mostly just random conversations/extensions thereof, because I loved listening to theirs in game so much. Honestly. If they just sold a CD with every line of dialogue the guys had, I'd buy it. (Next time, Bry. I promise.)**_

 ** _So like...cue fic title theme. XP_**

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Noct freezes. There is absolutely _no_ way in hell that Prompto just suggested what he thinks he just suggested. And if he did...

But the bawdy leer taking up residence on his friend's face tells him otherwise. Noctis immediately feels the blood rushing to his cheeks, whether from embarrassment or anger, he isn't quite sure—both probably—and his hands ball into fists at his side. He glowers at Prompto and growls out, "Don't. Even. _Think_ about it."

But rather than react appropriately to the prince's warning, Prompto laughs, short and loud, and throws an arm around his shoulder, tugging him further away from the crumbling fishing dock that had served as their photo shoot's venue. While Prompto's expression has gone from suggestive to amused in the blink of an eye, Noct's own is still pinched together in displeasure at the completely uncalled for proposal.

"Oh, come on, Noct!" Prompto chirps, pulling the brunet closer to his side. "You can trust me! _I_ have an artist's eye."

He says it so boastfully, like he really, truly believes it to be true, and it nearly makes Noct scoff. "I've noticed," he offers back dryly. "I see your _artist's eye_ at work every time we go to Hammerhead."

And the tables turn when Prompto pulls away, spluttering, leaving Noct to smirk at his embarrassment.

"T-That's different!" Prompto defends. He fiddles with his camera in the way he does when he's nervous or bored or otherwise doesn't know what to do with himself. After a long pause, he manages to look back up from the screen. Then with a helpless shrug he fixes Noctis with a sheepish smile. "It's not _my_ fault Cindy's so look-at-able."

Noct wants to remind Prompto of the number of times he's had to nudge the blond back to reality when his gaze had lingered on their mechanic for too long, if only to keep all attention diverted from himself and Luna, but he stops short. He crosses his arms over his chest and pins Prompto with an expectant look. "Oh? And Luna?"

At first, Prompto's eyes are disbelieving. Soon enough, though, he chuckles. " _Also_ very pretty," he assures Noct. "Double also? Very much off limits."

"Damn right," Noctis huffs, attempting to reinforce his words with another warning glare. "And don't forget it."

Rather than cowing his friend, however, it seems to only spur him on. "Oooh, aggressive! _Po_ ssessive! I likes!" The camera goes off in Noct's face, causing the furrow in his brow to deepen, but Prompto is too busy checking over his latest shot to notice. He taps the screen before grinning up at the prince. "And so will the _looove_ ly Lady Luna. Heh. I'll have to add this in somewhere as 'the look Noct gave me when I said you were pretty.'"

"Except that's not what happened."

"Whatever, bro. My scrapbook, my word. I'm sure she knows not to believe anything you'd say about it, anyways." With that, Prompto begins trekking back up to the haven.

Noctis drops his arms, following suite. "And that's supposed to mean what, exactly?"

"It _means_ that even if it was true, you'd try to deny it."

"Hmph," is all the prince says in return. He'd deny it, but he feels that it would only prove the blond's point.

"Besides," and Prompto punctuates the word by shoving his shoulder into Noctis', "you gotta admit it's a lot more romantic than 'the look Noct gave me when I offered to take sexy pics of you for him.' With that look on your face? Come on, man. She'll feel like you don't even want her."

Noct shakes his head. He has absolutely no idea where his friend gets this stuff, but he finds himself indulging Prompto anyways. "Yeah. I'm sure _that's_ what she'd be worried about."

"Ah, well," Prompto sighs, stretching out his arms before resting them behind his head. He turns his face to Noct and beams. "You know where to find me if you change your mind."

"Oh, don't worry. I won't."

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 _ **A/N: Prompto's "artist's eye" line hit me, followed by Noct's teasing about Cindy, and whaddaya know? There is actually a place in game where it'd fit. Crazy...**_

 _ **Also, it occurs to me that when I write in Prompto's PoV, there's more internal monologuing, but in Noct's there's more conversation and/or things happening around him. I find that both odd and amusing. If this was in Prompto's, it'd probably manage to be at least twice as long, somehow.**_


	3. Making Pun

_**A/N: I know, I know...this still isn't it. But the pun hit me when I was in the shower this afternoon and I had to do it. It's God awful, to be sure, but that's canon for you.**_

 ** _Thanks for reading!_**

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"Well," Noctis pants, his blade dispersing in an explosion of blue tinged sparks. He leans forward to brace his hands on his knees. "I guess that's that."

He can hear the others attempting to catch their own breaths somewhere off behind him, and Prompto's voice even manages to force out a, "Gods, I hope so. I don't think I can do this again without like a snack break or something."

"Suck it up, cupcake," Gladio says, and it sounds like his breathing has returned to normal, at least. "It builds character."

"Nah," the blond dismisses after a few more gasping breaths. "I think I'm good. What about you, Noct?"

"More than enough character over here, thanks," Noct replies, and when Gladio snorts, the prince turns his head around so he can fix his shield with a piercing glare. As expected, it does absolutely nothing to quell the older man's smirk and, in fact, only seems to cause it to spread even wider. It's so infuriating that Noctis decides to ignore him in favor of checking on the others.

Prompto's a bit further off behind him, not too far from Gladio's right side, and looks to be in much the same state as Noctis. His head is very nearly resting against his knees as he heaves as much air through his lungs as he can, but he's upright and seems to be otherwise fine, so Noct let's his gaze move on.

But beyond Prompto, there's nothing more than grass interspersed with bushes and saplings and the occasional boulder. With that observation, Noct straightens, his exhaustion pushed aside to make way for concern. He opens his mouth to call out for Ignis, but Gladio beats him to it.

"You doin' okay over there, Iggy?"

Noct whirls to his other side and lets out a relieved breath at the sight of his advisor standing several yards away. Fidgeting. The prince tilts his head ever so slightly.

"Fine, thanks," Ignis answers at last, the words clipped and stiff as he continues to stand, head bowed, looking as though he's scanning the ground around him for something.

"You sure?" Noct asks. He takes a step toward the older man to help him but doesn't get very far.

"Stop!" Ignis cries out, outstretching his arms in a way that only emphasizes his command. "Nobody move!"

Eyes wide at the unexpected outburst, Noct does as he's told for once. Arguing never even crosses his mind, because Ignis never _cries out_ except in the most dire of circumstances. He can only think the worst as the strategist continues to study the ground nearby. "Specs?" He says nervously, hoping for some sort of explanation.

"Yeah, man," Prompto pipes up, sounding equally worried. "Don't just leave us hanging. What's going on?"

"Everything is fine," Ignis says in a way that doesn't really sound all that fine to Noctis. "Everything is completely under control. Just whatever you do, don't. Bloody. _Move._ "

Noct shares a troubled look with Prompto, and the blond starts twitching his fist against his thigh. When he looks over to Gladio, though, the man's arms are crossed over his chest, an amused grin on his face. Then he laughs, loud and long and deep. Confused, Noct turns his gaze back over to Ignis, whose head is no longer bowed down as he casts an offended look the shield's way.

"Ah," he says now that he understands what's going on, and when Prompto's laughter joins the mix, Noct can't help but to chuckle some himself. "You could have just said you lost your glasses. You had me scared that the ground was going to blow up or something."

"Yeah," Prompto adds, doubled over once more. "You didn't...you d-didn't...h-have to..." but he can't keep from laughing long enough to get his words out. "...to make a...a...a _spectacle_ of yourself!"

Noct tries and fails to keep the amusement from his voice when he tells his friend, "That was stupid." But the terrible pun combined with Ignis' affronted frown just makes the entire situation so much _funnier_ than it really should be, and before he knows it, he's doubled over again, too.

"It isn't funny," Ignis huffs, and Noct just barely catches the words over his and Prompto's laughter.

Gladio, who seems to have recovered from his own laughing fit says, "It's pretty funny."

It takes Noct a few moments to realize it when Prompto's laughter comes to a sudden halt, but once he's finally able to stem his own and breathe again, he glances up to see a look of utter dread pasted on the blond's face. He stands stock still, and Noct watches him, curious. Then, slowly, he twists one boot into the ground, eyes closing and lips pulling into a grimace at the result. _Fuuuuuuuuuck_ , the brunet sees him mouth, and suddenly he feels a pang of sympathy for his friend, because Ignis is going to be very, _very_ unhappy with this news.

"Sooooooo," Prompto finally says in a chirpy tone that doesn't quite match the expression on his face. "Good and bad news, fellas!"

"Hmph, what's the bad news?" Gladio asks, causing the blond to falter.

"The _good_ news," he says, instead, "is that I've found Specs' specs."

"And...the bad news?" But Noct can tell by resigned note in his voice that Ignis knows exactly what the blond is going to tell him.

"Eheh...yeah, about that..." And then Prompto lifts the foot Noctis had seen him dig into the ground earlier and pulls up a set of mangled metal frames and fractured glass. He grasps them in both hands, holding them in front of his face as though they can protect him from whatever shit storm he's landed himself into this time. "In my defense," he squeaks out, eyeing their owner with no small amount of trepidation, "I haven't moved since you told us not to. So let's just, you know...turn a blind eye to all of, _you_ know... _this._ "

Ignis stands with his eyes closed, one hand on his hip and the other pinching the bridge of his nose. His mouth is pressed into an unreadable line, and it's a look Noct knows all too well, having been the cause of it numerous times himself. After a few steadying breaths, the older brunet relaxes somewhat and makes his way over to a cowering Prompto. He doesn't say a word when he swipes the ruined frames from their youngest member's grasp, just heads back off in the direction of the Regalia, posture stiff.

Noct lets him trail ahead a few paces before feeling it safe to follow after him, and soon enough Prompto is at his side, their shoulders bumping together.

"You know. He really should look into contacts," Prompto says, voice low. "Nothing bad like that ever happens to me."

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 _ **A/N: Obviously, Prompto hasn't read my other fic, yet. ;P**_

 ** _Also, glasses characters are magical creatures. The way they're always shoving those frames back up the bridge of their nose, but never seem to lose them doing crazy, flippy acrobatics in the middle of battle, yeah? (Although, Ignis had that one tour, so we know he's capable of being separated from his.) I had to buy special grippy things so that mine would stop bouncing off my face at boot camp._**


	4. From Afar

_**A/N: *sigh* I didn't even know I was going to try and make them have this conversation again until I got to the end of this silly thing. It didn't work out at the end of Glasses. I don't know why I thought I'd be able to make it work here. I kept taking it out, then putting it back in, then taking it out, then putting it back in differently...So after a week of trying to figure that out, I'm just done with it all. DX**_

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Chapter 4: From Afar

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Prompto eyes his best friend desperately. He really doesn't think he can do this. But the only response he receives from Noct is an easy smirk as he pries the camera from the blond's fingers, tugging the strap up over messy, two days unwashed hair that's still crusted over with the hair product put in it the last time they'd had the pleasure to awaken in civilization. Prompto leans in, hoping to seem as though he's showing Noct the proper settings to use, and in a harsh whisper he asks, "Why are you doing this?"

The glint in Noct's eyes is merciless when he answers, "You wanted me to help you. I'm helping."

Prompto isn't sure he buys it, though. Sure, his friend actually had been a help when the subject of this morning's venture had so unexpectedly snuck up on them—all blue tank top and khaki shorts and legs bared all the way down to her heavy hiking shoes—turning him into a nervous, spluttering mess. Noct's boot digging into the side of his had been enough of a prompt to mention hiking, the dip of his gaze to the camera dangling from around Prompto's neck enough for him to bring up his hobby, and after that, she'd sounded so interested he hadn't really needed any guidance. When Noct had jerked his head toward town, his little quip about catching Cid napping had just come naturally.

But then Noct had to say _that_. He'd been so cool and calm and collected about it, too. Like it hadn't been weird and random. Like it hadn't been anything at all, really. To Prompto's panic-stricken brain, however, it had been everything, and the words had sounded almost exactly like, _Oh, hey, my friend has this super huge crush on you and is afraid of asking for your picture. Mind taking one with him anyways?_ But instead of a sweet laugh paired with an explanation about how he was a nice guy and all _buuuuuuuuut_ , she'd actually agreed.

Maybe he should give Noct more credit when it comes to this kind of thing.

But now said best friend is shoving Prompto deeper out onto the overlook where Cindy stands, waiting. "You gonna get in the shot or what?" He says, this time loud enough for her to hear, too.

"R-Right," Prompto agrees, hoping that no one else notices the slight waver in his voice as he steps back toward the ledge. Cindy smiles when he peeks over at her, and he tries to smile back. It feels forced, but he can't help it. He turns into a puddle of nerves around her during the best of times, and right now? Right now is far from the best of times.

Right now, he has a total of one clean outfit in his bag that he's been saving for when they finally regain access to a shower. Right now, he's wearing _this_ particular set of clothes again, the fabric stiff and grimey and gotta be stinking from going on three days' worth of dried sweat and dirt while they've tried and failed to track down a nearby hunt. He hasn't even brushed his teeth yet this morning, because Ignis had only just begun to set up the camp stove when Prompto had dragged Noct away, and he always waits until after breakfast to do it. While it's true that Noct isn't in any better a state, he's also not the one being waved to stand closer to Cindy while smelling like a rotting malboro carcass, either. He's just the jerk rolling his eyes and doing the waving.

He groans internally and sends another desperate look his friend's way, but Noct is an unyielding force. So he swallows and takes one large, sidelong step Cindy's way, praying that the wind doesn't decide to blow in a more Prompto-to-Cindy-ly direction. She lets out a small laugh at the motion, and Prompto actually manages to grin back in response. From there, it isn't long before Noct gives them a thumbs up and calls out, "Looks good."

"C'mon," Cindy says, landing the back of her hand in playful slap against his bicep, and he's somewhat taken aback at how excited she sounds. "Let's go an' have a look." But she doesn't even make it a full step Noct's way before a shrill, squealing sound in the air causes the three of them to look back toward town. All it turns out to be is a beat up, old pickup turning into Hammerhead, though.

"Ugh. Sounds like we found your first customer for the day," Prompto remarks.

"Yeah," Noct adds. "Someone really needs a new set of brakes."

When Prompto turns to look at her, Cindy's tugging down the bill of her cap, squinting at the scene below them. "Ooh," she says, and she takes a few steps backwards down the hill. "Hate to run off on you fellas, but that one's for me. Ordered some things a while ago. That's the guy supposed to be deliverin'." Her eyes flit over to Noct and the camera, then to Prompto. "Next time you boys're in town, you'll hafta show me how it turned out. Wouldn't mind seein' what else you got in there, either, if yer up to sharin'."

"I—yeah. Absolutely." She's always so busy that he'd never even considered she might be interested before, and the warmth he feels knowing otherwise takes him over, tugging his lips into a giddy smile.

"Y'all don't be strangers, now, y'hear?" And with one final wave, Cindy turns on her heel and jogs off.

"Yeah, we hear," Noct responds with a chuckle, though his voice has no hope of reaching her. "See? That wasn't so bad, now, was it?"

But Prompto doesn't answer. He just watches until Cindy's figure disappears around the base of the hill. Then he turns his beaming face to the prince and says, "Well, Noct. It looks like you're not the only one around who can summon deities!"

Noct snorts, thumbing through the camera reel. "Pretty sure that 'Goddess of the Gears' wasn't actually mentioned in Cosmogany."

"Whatever. You're just jealous mine's prettier." Then the blond's eyes zero in on where his precious baby sits nestled between Noct's hands, and he all but pounces. "Gimme, gimme, gimme!"

The brunet lets out a huff at the onslaught but releases his hold, and Prompto's eyes devour the image on the screen. Because he's there and _Cindy's_ there, and yeah, Hammerhead's there in the background, too—Noct actually did a pretty good job with that—but the most important part is that _Cindy's_ there, and he's right there next to h—he...he's...

His stomach drops in horrified realization. His grip tightens, and he blurts out, "She can't see this!"

He can feel Noct at his back, peering over his shoulder. "There a problem?"

Prompto's lips press together tightly but the move does nothing to keep a dismayed sound from escaping him. There's a nudge of his shoulder and then, "What is it? Not up to your standards?"

"No," Prompto says slowly, still transfixed by the photo. "That's not it."

"What's the problem, then? It looks fine to me."

With that, the blond spins around in a frenzy and very nearly smashes Noct's nose in with the screen. "Look at it!" He cries out. "Look at _me!_ "

"I _am_ looking," Noct says, and it's clear that his patience is on the verge of snapping. "You and Cindy. Just what you wanted."

Prompto frowns. Noct isn't even trying. " _No._ Look harder!"

The prince sighs and bats the camera out of his face. "I give up. Just tell me already."

At first, he isn't going to. He wants Noct to _see_ it and tell him, but he's so distressed by what he's observed that he just can't hold it in anymore. "Dude, I'm so obvious! Why didn't you _warn_ me before you immortalized it on _film?_ "

Noct blinks. "Oh," he says. He grabs the blond's wrist and pulls it back around so that he can look at the picture again. "That's what you're hung up about? I wouldn't worry about it too much. You always look that way around her."

Prompto splutters. His hands twitch and almost send the camera diving down to an early demise. His jaw opens and closes, but words refuse to happen. Noct just looks amused, now.

"Would it _really_ be the end of the world if she found out?"

"Yes!" The blond exclaims, cradling the nearly dropped camera against his chest. "And give her the chance to reject me? No way, man. I'm perfectly happy with just admiring her from afar, thanks."

Noct's brows raise, and he crosses his arms. "Are you, though?"

" _Yes,_ " Prompto answers, but there's noticeably less vehemence in his tone this time around. He ducks away from Noct's gaze and fiddles with his camera, scraping away a speck of mud from its casing with a dirty, chipped fingernail, untwisting the neck strap, pressing a button to wake up the screen...pressing it again to bring up the last moment of time frozen in its memory...

Noct sighs, and Prompto looks back up. "Look," the brunet begins, mouth gaping a bit as he struggles with his words. "All I'm saying is that we could have been friends sooner if you'd just said something. So just," he awkwardly raises one shoulder and let's it fall back down, his expression all of the sudden spiraling into something uncertain. "I dunno. Think about that?"

Prompto's mouth twitches. He can't help it. It's obvious that Noct is trying his hardest to be sincere and comforting, and that in his head there had probably been an actual point he'd been trying to get across, but whatever it was, it's beyond Prompto. "Dude," he says with a snicker that causes his friend to bristle and look outright offended, and _that_ only makes it more humorous. "You really kinda suck at this whole pep talk thing, you know?"

Noct's cheeks pinken at those words. "W-Whatever," he says back, obviously agitated at the blond's reaction. "Anyways, I'm starving. Let's go back." He's only just shouldering his way passed a still laughing Prompto, when the prince pauses, a smirk making it's way to his face despite the embarrassed flush still marring his features. "Oh, and just for the record? You really kinda suck at the whole stalking thing."

He moves on, leaving Prompto stunned and a bit confused as to where in the hell _that_ remark had come from, because he's never in his _life_ —

Oh.

Prompto's eyes widen as he watches Noct's retreating back. "Oh shit," he says, mortified at what he thinks his friend is implying. "You noticed that?" Then, coming to the full realization that the prince had noticed his past failed endeavors to talk to him but never said a word himself, he slings his camera around his neck and hurries after him.

"You asshole! You noticed and you never said anything? What's with all the 'you should have said something sooner', huh? Why couldn't it have been _you?_ And I wasn't stalking!"

"You were just... _admiring from afar._ Right?" Noct asks, his eyes glinting almost maliciously.

"It's different!" Prompto insists.

"Whatever you say, buddy." But his amused tone doesn't sound convinced.

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 _ **A/N: I love this tour. And apparently my save file forgot I'd already done it, because I got to do it again last weekend. But this time, I actually knew you could get a picture! And Prompto is so stinking precious and awkward and obvious in it! :D**_

 _ **I have no idea why I seem to be hell bent on Noct admitting that he noticed Prompto, but whenever I think back to his "You should've said something sooner" line, all I can think is "You have a mouth. You were perfectly capable." Grawr...**_


End file.
